Holder for quick-change mopping cloths



Dec. 7, 1954 RlCHTER 2,696,015

HOLDER FOR QUICK-CHANGE MOPPING CLOTHS Filed Sept. 13, 1951 Ernestine L. Rich/er INVEN TOR.

BY con aw; Z5.

A Home United States Patent 2,696,015 HQLDER FUR QUI CK-CHANGE MOPPING CLOTHS Ernestine L. Richter, Chester, 11]. Application September 13, 1951, Serial No. 246,490 1 Claim. (Cl. -147) The present invention relates, broadly construed, to mop holders and has more particular reference to a novelly constructed wire or equivalent frame which provides a convenient and reliable holder for quick-change cloths, the holder and cloth together providing an improved device which lends itself for practical use, as a so-called dry mop, for cleaning the surface of a floor, for brushing and dusting of walls, ceilings and, for that matter, any surface where a dry mop is commonly used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder which is characterized by a handle having a rigidly mounted wire frame on the utility end of the handle, said frame being of special shape and construction to serve in the stated capacities and which is also aptly useful in satisfactorily cleaning Windows by using a smaller damp cloth to clean and then changing to a larger dry cloth for drying and which, in addition, serves as a holder for a wet cloth when using the device as a wet mop.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame which, because of its make-up and shape enables one to maneuver the cloth in places where it was heretofore virtually impossible to clean with a conventional floor mop because of its bulkiness and awkwardness in handling.

Then, too, novelty is predicated upon a holder having the general characteristics stated wherein any clean cloths which are handily available at the time may be put to use in the holder readily applied and removed, washed and dried, the use of such cloths being conducive to frequent changing of cloths, whereby to promote more thorough cleaning results and, in addition, promoting economy inasmuch as rags and materials which would otherwise be thrown away may be employed with this holder and later disposed of when their cleaning properties are no longer worthy of consideration.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a handy cloth holding frame on a handle constituting a device in which manufacturers, retailers and users will find their respective requirements and needs amply and aptly met.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein the same numerals are used to designate the same parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a holder constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and showing the manner in which a cleaning and mopping rag or cloth is applied and held for use thereon;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the holding frame with a portion of the rubber protective covering broken away and with the mopping cloth omitted; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Briefly summarized and by way of introduction to the detailed description, the frame is characterized by a single length of a Wire of appropriate gauge which is bent upon itself to provide a substantially triangular frame, the latter having a central bight portion and converging limb portions joined with the terminals, the terminals being anchored in an appropriate handle, one limb portion having complemental bends defining a retaining finger of nominal resiliency which is in close spaced parallelism to said bight portion.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen clearly that the frame as a unit is denoted by the numeral 4 and is of general triangular form. Ignoring the rubber protective coverings for the moment, it will be seen that said frame is characterized by a bight portion 6 and a pair of complemental converging limbs 8 and 10, said limbs having spaced parallel terminals 12-12 which provide adequate and satisfactory means for securely attaching the frame to a wooden or equivalent handle 14 in the manner shown in Figure l. The bight portion 6 is linearly straight and the limb 10 is also straight from end to end. The limb 8, however, has a retaining finger formed integral therewith. In doing this, the limb is bent upon itself as at 16, bent again at 18 and finally bent back again at 26. This defines a pair of complemental members 22 and 24 which, conjointly, provide an elongated substantially U-shaped finger. The median or return bend or bight portion 13 thereof is flexible, free, and is disposed in close proximity to the limb 10. The finger, considered as a unit and conveniently denoted as a unit by the numeral 26, is coplanar with the frame members and is in close spaced parallelism with the bight portion 6 and, being within the confines of the frame, defines a relatively small opening or space 23 and a larger space or opening 36, either of which spaces may be employed in accommodating the readily applicable and removable dusting, cleaning and mopping cloth 32. For the most part, it is believed that the woman-of-the-house always has miscellaneous and handy rags and cloths about which are used for dusting, washing windows and so on and so forth. These very same cloths may be conveniently cut to an approximate shape to fit in the holding frame. Then the cloth may be bent upon itself, as at 34, into folds or halves 36 and 38. For the most part, one end of the cloth is drawn through the space 28, that is, the space defined by the bight portion 6 and the finger 26. This allows the cloth to be draped over the bight portion 6 and to be lightly clamped and partly held by the nominal clamping action of the slightly resilient finger 26. It has been found, too, that others may drape the bend of the cloth over the finger itself, thus handling the cloth in the space 30 in an obvious manner. However, and like with most implements and instrumentalities, different users will follow different procedures in applying a rag or cloth. For example, it has also been suggested that by keeping the bend 18 close to the limb 10, these two parts 10 and 18 may be used as a restricted place for clipping and holding an edge portion of the cloth.

The limbs 3 and 10 and also the bight portion 6 are preferably encased in suitable rubber covering means 40 ghtifch may be employed for shock absorbing bumpers or u ers.

Whereas mops are used in the size and shape in which purchased, it will be evident that in the instant matter, one can use a cloth, the size of which happens to suit the needs at hand, a small, medium or larger one and use it for both wet and dry cleaning results.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a holder for quick-change mopping cloths, a wire frame and handle attached thereto, said frame being formed from a single piece of wire, being substantially fiat and of general triangular form in outline, said frame embodying a linearly straight bight portion and complemental converging coplanar limb portions, an intermediate portion of one of said limb portions being formed into a substantially elongated U-shaped bend defining a resilient finger and including a bight portion which terminates in close spaced proximity with respect to an intermediate portion of the other limb portion, being coplanar with said other limb portion and said first named bight portion, said finger being situated in the space defined by the frame and being arranged in close spaced parallelism with respect to said first named bight portion.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Crinkloe Mar. 22, 1870 5 Young Oct. 11, 1910 Hamilton Mar. 9, 1920 Blomstrom Sept. 4, 1923 Bodenhofer Mar. 6, 1928 Duce et a1. June 10, 1930 10 Number Number Name Date Olson 'Feb. 10, 1931 Schafier May 26, 1936 Floch Mar. 12, 1940 Care et a1. Apr. 29, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France June 23, 1902 

